In the installation of various longitudinal articles such as wire harnesses and tubing in a refrigerator cabinet, for example, it is desired that such articles be rigidly secured and supported at various positions along their lengths to protect them from damage. It is desired that the articles be clamped as easily and quickly as possible to reduce assembly costs. At the same time, it is preferable that the clamping of an article not require judgment by the installer as to whether the clamp has engaged the article with sufficient tightness to retain the article in the desired position.
The clamp, which fits over the article at the position to which it is to be secured, must be capable of easily receiving the article. The clamp also must not allow the article to be easily removed therefrom after the clamp is installed thereon and prior to the clamp being attached at the desired position to rigidly secure and support the article. Otherwise, the time for assembly is increased.
The clamp of the present invention satisfactorily meets the foregoing requirements through being capable of engaging the article to retain it in position by merely advancing the mounting screw for the clamp into the support structure. When the clamp has securely engaged the article, further advancement of the mounting screw into the support structure is prevented.
By utilizing a pair of curved or arcuate portions, which are preferably segments of circles with the outer curved portion overlapping the inner curved portion, the clamp may easily receive the article to be clamped therebetween through passing the article between the two curved or arcuate portions. Once the article is disposed between the pair of curved or arcuate portions, it cannot be accidentally removed therefrom.
By the use of a single screw and a unique relation of the elements of the clamp receiving the mounting screw, the inner and outer curved portions have their radii or curvatures reduced as the mounting screw is advanced into the support structure to which it is to be secured. Thus, when further reduction in the radii or curvatures of the inner and outer curved portions of the clamp cannot be produced because of the article being tightly engaged by the inner curved portion, the mounting screw can no longer be advanced into the support structure. Therefore, no judgment by the installer is required other than to stop turning the mounting screw when it is no longer possible to turn the mounting screw. This insures that the clamp has tightly engaged the article to rigidly secure and support the article at the desired position.
An object of this invention is to provide a unique self-tightening clamp.
Another object of this invention is to provide a clamp that tightens itself as a mounting screw, which secures the clamp to a support structure, is driven into the support structure.
Other objects of this invention will be readily perceived from the following description, claims, and drawing.
This invention relates to a clamp including a first curved portion and a second curved portion. The second curved portion has one end connected to one end of the first curved portion and overlapping a portion of the first curved portion including the free end of the first curved portion. A base is connected to at least one of the first and second curved portions with extension means connected to the second curved portion and spaced from the base. The extension means extends from the second curved portion in substantially the same direction as the base. The clamp has means to reduce the distance of the extension means from the base to reduce the curvatures of the first and second curved portions to cause at least the first curved portion to engage an article to be clamped.